Old Flames Still Burn
by Alyak Elocin
Summary: Ms. Young gets a gift from an old flame from college. His name is Ryan, and he wants to get together. Ms. Young calls him and discovers his new life. She wants to go out with Ryan, but is not sure. Please R&R and no flaming!
1. 1

It was a tiny wrapped present that arrived in the mail. Monica was smiling as she picked it up to open it. She put her fingers around the small gift. She opened it and took off the top of the box. It was a charm bracelet and inclosed was a note.  
_Dearest Monica,  
I am sorry we lost touch during college. I thought it was the right thing to do, and I regret the past now. I also regret hurting you. I would love to get together some night. Call me at 233-9234 and maybe we could scheldue some get together. I hope you like the bracelet.  
Love,  
Ryan_  
Monica almost fainted. Her old flame, from college wanted to get together. She couldn't believe it. It was a shock. She was together secretly with Ben, and she couldn't do that. Maybe she could go out with Ryan like as a reunion and lie to Ben. Maybe it was only a reunion. Maybe Ryan had a family. He probably did. So, she called the number he listed. She dialed the number, and a woman picked up.  
"Hello, may I please talk to Ryan?"  
"Sure honey. good luck with your career."  
"Excuse me?"  
"Isn't this Chantal the hooker?"  
"No....."  
"Ok, just shut your mouth and you can get yourself an appointment with Ryan."  
"What do you mean?"  
"You are not a hooker?"  
"No.....I am an English teacher. Now. may I please talk to Ryan?"  
"Sure honey."  
"Thanks."  
"No problem."  
The woman handed the phone to a man.  
"Hello, this is Ryan."  
"Ryan, this is Monica."  
"Monica, how are you?"  
"Great."  
"Did you like the bracelet?"  
"Yup. I was calling because I thinking on getting together."  
"Sure, but I have appointments scheudled until next Saturday."  
"That woman who answered.....thought I was a hooker."  
"My wife thinks all women who call are hookers. I can explain. I pay hookers to have sex with me."  
"You are married and you pay hookers to do it with you?"  
"I can't do it with my wife any longer, because she and I have had too many children. We have 7 children."  
"Oh my gosh. How do you take care of them all?"  
"I have no idea."  
"I'll meet you at the Love Shack Cafe next Saturday at 10 am if that's ok."  
"Ok."  
"See you then."  
Monica hung up and immediately called Ben.  
"Hello?" Ben answered.  
"Hey honey."  
"Is this important? I am getting ready for a night out with Dino and Jonathan."  
"Yes."  
"Then what is it?"  
"I am going out for a reunion with my friend I haven't seen since college. I was calling to make sure it was ok."  
"It's ok. Bye. Love you."  
"Love you."  
The phone clicked and Monica wondered why Ben was getting ready for a guy's night out in the middle of the afternoon.  
And, then, Monica reliazed that Ben was with Sue. She called him back.  
"Hello?" A woman asked.  
"May I talk to Ben?"  
"Ms. Young?" the woman asked.  
"Yes, I am calling Ben to confirm a bad grade."  
"Oh, while you are on the phone, did I get a good grade on the assignment?"  
"This grade is for the previous assignment that I finished grading."  
"Oh."  
"Is this Sue Miller?"  
"Yes."  
"Ok. May I talk to Ben please?"  
"Yes."  
Ben got on the line.  
"Ben!" Monica screamed.  
"What?"  
"Sue is over at your house?! Why are you doing this to me? I thought we were in a honest realtionship! You lied to me!"

Monica hung up on Ben, because Ben was being a dumbass. She confronted her mother about the reunion with Ryan.  
"Mom, remember Ryan from college?"  
"Yes Monica. Wasn't he the geek?"  
"Yes."  
"What about him?"  
"I am meeting him at the Love Shack Cafe next Saturday."  
"I never liked him."  
"What do you mean?"  
"I hated him. He was a pervert. He looked down my shirt and up my skirt millions of times."  
"He did? When?"  
"When you bought him home to show him off."  
"Oh."  
"So, does he have a family?"  
"Surprisely, yes."  
"Oh, a wife and children?"  
"Yes, a wife with 7 kids."  
"7 kids?"  
"Yes."  
"Oh my fcking gosh, Monica, he might try to get you pregnant."  
"I am not going to have sex with him mother."  
"Yea, but watch out."  
"Ok, ma, I will. But, god, give me a dn break. I am 23 for crying out loud. It's my life."  
"I am your mother and I will tell you what to do!"  
"Alrighty, but I won't listen to you. I haven't listened to you ever, what makes me going to listen to you now?"  
"My house, my rules."  
"I am trying so hard to buy an apartment. I am trying so hard and you won't help me. Fck, I am struggling! And you don't seem to fcking care!"  
"I am struggling too Monica! I am working part-time on minimum wage trying to pay the bills and bills for this house!"  
"Yet, you help Misty with her crap!"  
"Misty is 18! She needs help with her crap, Monica. You are 23, and shouldn't even be living here. You should be happy you are even living here at all."  
"Ok, well, I gotta go. If you need me, I'll be in my room grading papers."  
Monica left and went to her room. "The worst part of being a teacher is grading the lousy papers." she thought.  
As she graded Ben's paper, she gave him an A. She wrote A down on the paper and added 'Good job.'  
She graded Sue's paper next. She gave Sue a D- and added 'You can do it Sue'. She then graded all the other 150 papers and then was bored.  
She took a nap and had a dream.

Monica's dream wasn't a nightmare, yet it wasn't all fairies and stuff like that. She wanted to see Ryan, because she needed more revenge on Ben. She dreamed what would happen if she actually met Ryan.  
_Monica sat down and Ryan pushed in her chair.  
"Ryan, I thought you were a geek. You were so ugly."  
"Yes, Monica, I know. The only reason I wanted to get together was to show off my new look."  
"What's your new look?"  
He pulled out a gun.  
"Blood." _  
Monica was freaked out. That was a wierd dream. She thought: "What if Ryan only wants money?" She called up Ryan again. She dialed the number he listed before and the woman answered again.  
"Hello, who is this?"  
"The english teacher. Get me Ryan right now."  
"Ok."  
Ryan got on the line.  
"Hello."  
"It's Monica."  
"What's going on?"  
"I called to say I forgot that I had a plan to go out with my boyfriend on Saturday night, so I can't make it."  
"You have a boyfriend?"  
"Yes."  
"Oh. Maybe I catch you up on the phone."  
"No thanks. I know your life now."  
"What?"  
"You pay hookers to sleep with you, your wife takes care of your 7 children. You turned out worse than I thought."  
"I am so sorry Monica."  
"Me too. Goodbye Ryan Seacrest."  
"Goodbye Monica Young."  
Monica hung up and called Ben. She hoped Sue wasn't there. The phone rang. Ben answered this time.  
"Ben. I have a problem."  
"What?"  
"My old flame from college pays hookers to sleep with him and he has 7 children. I am not sure to go out with him for coffee."  
"Who?"  
"Ryan Seacrest."  
"He's the famous guy who hosts American Idol!"


	2. 2

"He's famous?" Monica asked Ben.  
"Yes, haven't you seen the show American Idol?"  
"I don't watch that reality junk."  
"Ok. Well he has his own -"  
Monica cut him off. "I'll call Ryan again. Love ya Ben."  
She hung up the phone and called Ryan. "Wow, Ryan must get really annoyed because I am calling alot." she thought.  
"Hello?" the same woman who answered before picked up, or at least Monica thought so.  
"Hi, may I please talk to Ryan?"  
"Please leave a message after the beep." and there was a beep. Monica got the answering machine, not real people to pick up. She hated leaving messages, because people don't usually check their messages daily and it takes forever for the people to reply to them.  
"Yes, I wanted to talk to Ryan because I heard some rumor that he is a celebrity. Please call me back Ryan. Thank you."  
She hung up and went to write in her journal she had kept ever since college titled: 'Monica and Ryan's Love Stuff'. She remembered that it was a dumb title, but back in college, everyone makes up dumb titles. She laughed as she went through the existant pages.  
One entry was so goofy and that entry Monica remembered changed everything.  
_Ryan was slobby today while eating his sandwich like a monkey pouncing on a banana. I wish he had at least wore a napkin or a tie on his shirt. I don't know why I screamed at him, but I hate everything and everyone being messy. I told him what I felt, but he didn't understand. We are probably going to break up. I will miss our nights together watching romantic movies on the couch. I will miss alot, but it's probably time we both move on, since we will both be leaving college next week and starting our careers. But, this is a stupid thing to break up for. dnit, I thought I loved him. But, it was just a fling to say we were a couple. This will be my last entry journal. It's the end of the beginning.  
Monica_  
Monica turned the page and saw two more pages left. She started to write.  
_Well, yes, I am actually writing in this journal again. You know journal, me and Ryan did break up and moved on. Ryan sent me a gift the other day and I called him. He said he paid hookers to sleep with him and had 7 children. Then, I called my boyfriend Ben (Ben's so sexy!) and Ben told me Ryan is famous. That is hard to believe, since Ryan was a geek in college. I tried calling Ryan's house and I got the answering machine. I'll try again soon. But, I think, someday that me and Ryan will see each other again, so I'll leave the last page in this journal empty. I hope this old flame burns out for good though, because I love my current boyfriend. His name is Ben Conner. I teach, and I can't believe I am dating one of my students journal. I know I will get busted, but it's ok. I honestly love Ben. Ben lost his......no......I'll start a new journal called 'My Journal' and I'll write about Ben all in there. I will write again in this journal when I see Ryan - for the last time. Bye.  
Monica _  
She closed the journal.

Monica silently put down the journal and she could hear the times that she remembered with Ryan in her head.  
_"I love you Ryan!"  
"Ryan, clean up now!"  
"Ryan, please stop being a dumbass!"  
"I hate you Ryan!"_  
She told herself to not get addicted to Ryan - again. That's what happened before. She got addicted. She couldn't get him out of her head.  
She could feel light tears coming down from her pale face. Ryan basically ruined her life. Ryan was everything to her and then they broke up. It was like he killed her with the sharpest knife. He was an angel to her - but she just smiled and shrugged it off. Ben was her everything now.  
She called up Ryan again - trying to confirm the celebrity status. She called the number and actually got Ryan to answer.  
"Hello?" Ryan said.  
"Hi, it's Monica."  
"Monica! How are you again? It's a surprise to hear from you again."  
"I was wondering if you got my message that I left a couple days ago."  
"No, sorry."  
"Screw those fking answer machines."  
"Ha. So, what was that you wanted to talk about?"  
"I heard you were a celebrity and that you hosted that reality junk show American Idol."  
"Oh."  
"So, are you a celebrity?"  
"Ok, Monica I'll tell you the truth. I am a celebrity. I have no wife, no 7 kids, and I don't pay hookers to sleep with me. I have a girlfriend and I asked her to pretend to put on that act."  
"Why?"  
"Because I didn't want you to know I was a celebrity."  
"I wouldn't care, I still wouldn't date you. Ha. I have a boyfriend, as I said before."  
"My daytime talk show was cancelled - and the only job I have is American Idol. I just don't want to be 'the host of American Idol' I want to be 'Ryan'."  
"Try to get in some movies. "  
"Ok."  
"So, are you still busy until next Saturday?"  
"No. "  
"So, are we on for a coffee talk at the Love Shack Cafe tomorrow night?"  
"Sure."  
"See you then Ryan."  
Monica hung up the phone and thought that act was sht.

That night, Monica had another chat with her mother.  
"Mom, it turns out that Ryan is a celebrity now. He hosts American Idol." Monica said.  
"Oh, Monica please date him!!!!!!"  
"No, mother, he has a girlfriend. Just stay out of it!"  
"Whatever Monica."  
"If you need me, I'll be getting ready for tonight."  
"Where you going?"  
"Out to coffee with Ryan."  
"Oh."  
Monica left the room and went to hers. She tried on lots of dresses, although she knew she didn't want to dress up.  
She put on black eyeliner, dark blue eyeshadow, black mascara and all this other stuff. She finally picked a dress - a black dress. She picked out the cutest black shoes and was all ready. She told her mom that she was leaving and her mom said: "Ok."  
Monica got in her car and drove to the Love Shack Cafe. She finally arrived and she waited for 40 minutes and then went to a pay phone and called Ryan. She called the phone number. Ryan answered.  
"Ryan, where are you?" Monica asked unpatiently.  
"I am stuck in traffic and I will be there soon."  
"Alrighty, see you then."  
She sat by the bar. The waiter started talking to her.  
"Who you meeting tonight ma'am?" the waiter asked.  
"An old friend from college who is late."  
"Oh, anything I can get you while your waiting?"  
"No thanks."  
"So, what do you do for a living?"  
"I teach English."  
"English was my favorite subject."  
Then, a guy walked into the room and walked up to Monica. "Is that you Monica?" he asked.


	3. 3

"Ryan?" Monica asked the man.  
"Oh my gosh, It is you Monica! You are so beautiful!"  
"Thanks."  
"What's going on with you?"  
"Nothing much, this new job is hectic."  
"Being a celeb is hectic?"  
Then, the waiter asked Ryan for his autograph.  
"Sure, I'll sign your napkin for you." Ryan said to the waiter.  
"Thanks so much!"  
"No problem."  
Ryan turned back to Monica.  
"So, Monica what has been going on with you?" he asked her.  
"I became an English teacher."  
"Oh, I thought you were going to be a librarian."  
"I wasn't interested in that, so I turned to teaching, and I loved it. That's how I met my boyfriend." Monica put a panicked look on her face.  
"He's a teacher too?"  
"Yes."  
"Oh."  
"So, how did you meet your girlfriend?"  
"It was pure luck, I ran into her at premiere of 'Meet The Fuckers' and we instanly fell in love."  
"There's actually a movie called that?"  
"Yes, Monica, but I know you don't really go and see those kinds of movies."  
"Yup, I don't really like comedies. I like romantic movies better."  
"You were always a die-hard romantic."  
"And I am and will always be. When I fall in love, I fall in love deeply."  
"Yea, I definely know that."  
"When did you become a celebrity?"  
"I went to Hollywood and while sipping my delicious coffee at an awesome cafe, some dude walked up to me and asked me if I wanted to host a TV show. I said yes."  
"Oh, I thought you were gonna be a fking science fiction writer."  
"Me too."  
"I would never had read any of you books anyways. To be truely honest, your dn writing sucked."  
"Yea, it did. Good thing I didn't persue that career."  
"Yea, if you tried that, you would of died - of embrassment."  
"Yea, you are right."  
"So, how is it like being a celebrity?"  
"It's good, I just hate being in the tabliods and followed 24/7."  
Monica looked out the window and saw the cameras. She got of her seat, walked out the door, and stopped where the cameras were.  
"Me and Ryan are just friends. He has a girlfriend. Deal with it. Me and Ryan are just having a little reunion." She flipped them off and walked back in the cafe.  
"Ok, Ryan, I am sorry if you are the tablioids again because of me."  
"It's ok. I've learned to deal."  
"I'm glad. Sorry again though."  
"Monica. It's fine."  
"Ok."

Monica gently paused. "Ok Ryan."  
"So, what are you doing for the rest of your life?" Ryan asked.  
"What the hell are you doing? Trying to pick me up?" She screamed so loudly, China probably heard her.  
"Yes. Monica, i love you."  
"No, you LOVED me once!"  
"I still love you. Our love is a red rose."  
"Hell no it's not! That's so lame! I thought this was a reunion because we were friends!"  
"Monica."  
"Ryan!"  
"Monica, please reconsider."  
"Hell no! Shut the fk up!"  
"Why are you being a pain in the ass?! You are always a dumbass!"  
"No Ryan, that's you."  
A reporter walked over and tapped Monica on the shoulder.  
"Excuse me, Ma'am, are you Ryan's girlfriend?" the reporter asked.  
"No, I am his ex-girlfriend. I can tell all for you if you want."  
"Sure! This will be a great cover story and will get me paid lots of money."  
"Ok, but I get 50."  
"20."  
"40!"  
"30."  
"Of all sales of the magazine."  
"Ok."  
"Ok!"  
"So, what's your name?"  
"Monica Young."  
Ryan was ferious. "Monica, please don't."  
"You deserve this. A bad rep."  
"Why?"  
"You are trying to cheat on your girlfriend you bitch!"  
Ryan slapped Monica on the face. The paparazzi had a field day.  
The reporter was still interviewing Monica.  
"Miss Young, -"  
"Ms. Young."  
"Ok, Ms. Young, how long did you date Ryan for?"  
"I dated him for 2 years."  
"Were you in a serious relationship with him?"  
"What do you call serious?"  
"Always together."  
"No, not that really. He was a dumbass."  
"Were you ever - planning on marriage together?"  
"No, not really."  
"Where did you meet?"  
"We met in English class."  
"In college?"  
"Yes."  
"What was your major?"  
"Librarian."  
"What was his major?"  
"I dunno, but he wanted to become a science fiction writer."  
"What is your career today?"  
"I am an English teacher."  
"Did he ever hit you?"  
Monica didn't say anything. She took a breath. She was finally letting out the secret past.  
"Yes, Ryan did hit me. He abused me. I thought when we broke up, it would be the end of it. But,apparently it's not. Maybe you should talk to his current girlfriend also."  
"What is her name?"  
"I don't know, but I know the phone number. 233-9234."  
"Thanks for you information."  
"No problem."

Monica left the cafe without saying any last words to Ryan. Ryan ruined her life. As Ryan was running after her to catch her, Monica thought about the past - it was litterally hell.  
"Monica! Let me catch up with you!" Ryan screamed. Monica ducked into a alley and hid. As Ryan went by that alley, without seeing her, Monica was relieved. She wanted to get Ryan out of her life once and for all and she thought he changed. She knew she was wrong to go out for coffee with him. She should have known better, but she was - alone.  
Ben was always with Sue now. Monica and Ben were still together, but Ben was trying to conceal his feelings. He was really sentisive, and he didn't want Monica to go through hell if they were discovered. But, Monica still really wanted him. She felt alone still sitting in that dark alley.  
She looked all around and made sure Ryan was around. He was probably running from the paparazzi. Monica saw that Ryan wasn't around and she immediately ran to her car parked near by. As she got in her car, she dropped the charm bracelet Ryan had gave her in a muddy puddle. As it fell, she pictured all those moments she and Ryan had together and she saw the future. She hoped for the better and as the bracelet fell, she saw the most amazing creature ever walk over to her and say: "Monica, are you ok?"  
It was Ben. Monica was amazed that Ben was there - but she did leave a note on her door at home telling where she would be. Ben had the most wonderful look on his face.  
"Ben I am ok now that you are here."  
"I am so happy I made it here. I wanted to talk."  
"Is this good or bad?"  
"It's great!"  
"What is it honey?"  
"As I was with Sue, I relaized no one could take your place. I truely love you. I want to be with you. Do you love me too?"  
"I love you like crazy Ben." She paused for a moment and kissed Ben on the lips. It was intense and beautiful. Monica now knew she wasn't alone anymore.


End file.
